Stuck at home? Four Fair Trade Coffee Roasters to Get You Through the Day

The transitions and shifts we are each facing right now are coming at us like a white-out blizzard (the snow out my living room window is currently coming down at a rather rapid and heavy rate). Sifting through the chaos of our newsfeeds, while adapting to this new structure of life can definitely be overwhelming. In the midst of it all, I find a semblance of peace in routine.

I am not sure what your mornings look like, but I have a cherished few minutes each day before the clock in our toddlers' room goes off (just a little unsolicited advertisement, this clock has been a blessing to my wife and I this initial year of being foster adopt parents!). Sitting down with a fresh cup coffee, bible or book in precious silence is a blessing I cherish deeply. Let's not miss how integral that cup of freshly ground coffee is either.

Whether it's how you greet your morning or what gets you through the afternoon of chores during nap time, for us Americans, coffee has become a staple. With many of us receiving shelter-in-place requests or needing to self quarantine, we wanted to give you a list of four amazing, ethically-minded, Fair Trade coffee roasters that you can shop from the comfort of your living room or home office.

Heine Brothers' Organic Fair Trade Coffee

This incredible coffee shop started selling Zambeezi back in 2008 when we launched! Continuing to grow and expand every year, they are now one of the premier coffee companies in the south east. Here's what they say about their coffee:

At Heine Brothers’ we are committed to finding and roasting the best tasting organic and fair trade coffees in the world. We’re equally committed to doing this in a way that results in coffee farmers and our planet being treated with respect and dignity.

https://heinebroscoffee.com

Equator Coffee Roasters

Also a long time Zambeezi partner, you especially need to check them out if you are in Canada. We love them and their passion for people and coffee. Check out the vision behind what they do:

Equator Coffee Roasters exists to connect the coffee farmer to the coffee drinker, from one family to another. We believe the world is a better place with coffee that is sourced ethically and grown organically. At Equator, coffee is more than just a beverage; it is a way of changing the world.

We've been roasting, delivering, and serving fresh, fair trade, organic coffee since 1998. Founded by Craig and Amber Hall with the goal of making a difference globally and locally, the name was chosen for a reason: to ‘Equate’ the benefit of drinking coffee, not just for the consumer but for all the people along the way, from our staff who pack and serve it- to the farmers who grow it.

https://equator.ca

Level Ground Trading

"When you enjoy this coffee, small-scale farmers thrive. When small-scale farmers thrive, the communities they support thrive with them." We love this! Plus, we love their coffee. As a fellow member of the Fair Trade Federation, you can hear so much of our heart and vision at Zambeezi in their story as well. I love how simply they put it, "The coffee that connects you."

https://levelground.com

Equal Exchange: Fairly Traded Coffee, Tea & Chocolate

Another Fair Trade Federation member, we've been able to enjoy their wonderful coffee and many of the annual Fair Trade Federation conferences. At the 2019 conference, I set up a booth in the expo for Zambeezi, spoke in one of the breakout sessions and taught a class. I can tell you, coffee was a necessity. This was an incredibly tasty necessity, though! However, as with each of these roasters, their passion goes well beyond the amazing flavors:

Equal Exchange's mission is to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound, to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and consumers and to demonstrate, through our success, the contribution of worker co-operatives and Fair Trade to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable world.

https://equalexchange.coop

Stay caffeinated, friends. Even more than coffee, though, and as each of these companies does in their mission, remember people in this process. As we face this threat, remember those in your community, in our country and around the globe. Find reasons and opportunities to be thankful.